“Going to PSG was neither planned, nor desired” – Lionel Messi admits he never wanted to leave Barcelona

In his first press conference on Thursday (August 17) following his arrival at Inter Miami CF, Lionel Messi opened up about his undesired and unplanned stint at Paris Saint-Germain.

Widely considered one of the best players in the game's history, Messi ended a 17-season stay at Barcelona in 2021. The Blaugrana couldn't extend the contract of their star player without falling foul of La Liga's wage cap rules.

Messi subsequently moved to PSG as a free agent and enjoyed a modest stint at best. He did win two Ligue 1 titles but failed to win the Champions League, bagging 32 goals and 35 assists in 75 games across competitions.

The 2022 FIFA World Cup winner left the Parc des Princes this summer upon the expiry of his contract and arrived for a new adventure with Inter Miami. He has hit the ground running, scoring in six straight games to take his side to the Leagues Cup final.

Ahead of the final showdown with Nashville SC on Saturday (August 19), Messi shed light on his PSG stint. He said he never wanted to leave Barcelona in the first place.

Unlike his stay at PSG, the Argentine added that he's enjoying life in the States:

Messi has bagged nine goals and an assist in six Leagues Cup games for Miami.

While Lionel Messi has won titles galore for club and country, Inter Miami will look for their first on Saturday.

Established only in 2018, the Herons have exceeded expectations by reaching the Leagues Cup final. They will now look to cap their dream run with a title, and Messi is eager to help them accomplish that.

In the same press conference, the seven-time Ballon d'Or winner said:

He added:

Lionel Messi will now look to score in the final against a Nashville side that have kept consecutive clean sheets.